(Lack of) Tax Software
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| Sander_Marechal Mar 20, 2006 7:08 AM EDT |
Quote: "It lacks applications such as [...] income tax preparation software." The Dutch IRS now offers Tax Preparation Software for Linux (and OSX) as well. Somehow I doubt that this will supercharge Linux take-up in Holland though, although I have to admit that I get more and more request for Ubuntu CD's :-) |
| richo123 Mar 20, 2006 7:41 AM EDT |
In the US the IRS and NYS (New York State) puts out writable pdf files. I used the Linux version of acroread 7.0.5 (downloaded from adobe not the distro version) to write to these files and saved myself a whole bunch of trouble. Reckon it cut about 6 hours off the prep. time. |
| jimf Mar 20, 2006 7:52 AM EDT |
richo, you got a link to those :) |
| tadelste Mar 20, 2006 7:55 AM EDT |
Complicated returns in the US still require software like Turbotax which is also one of the products CPAs use. I did. With such a massive tax code, many people will find it difficult to use the on-line capabilities. Simple filers with just a W-2 wage form will feel pretty good about the on-line service. The states are another isue. |
| bbigby Mar 20, 2006 8:53 AM EDT |
jimf, refer to the following websites: http://www.irs.gov http://www.tax.state.ny.us The form links are usually PDF "fill-in" documents. Like richo123, I also completed my taxes with these forms. Note for New Yorkers: NY State does not want the W2 that you received from the employer. You have to complete the state's new W2 form instead (I've forgotten the exact form number). Personally, I think that completing this form was a pain in the ass, because I had to complete yet another form when in the past, I could have just stapled the W2 that my employer provided to me to the form. Also note that the NY State PDF forms will only allow you to print. They will not allow you to save your data with the form. I don't know why. The NY forms had this limitation last year, and they have the same limitation this year, too. However, the NY State PDF forms will allow you to print to a file. Here's another tip. If you are printing from Linux with Acrobat 7, disable the "Optimize PDF", or whatever it's called, option. When I printed with that option on, the output appeared screwed up. Make sure that after you print to a file, you verify that the resultant file is good. You can do this by simply opening the Postscript file. The last step in my process was to convert the Postscript files to PDF with ps2pdf. By the way, if you need to change some data in the Postscript file, you can simply edit the file with your favorite editor. I had to do this once for a NY fill-in form. Of course, you have to wade through all of the Postscript code and find and change the correct fields. 8-) I suppose that you can edit the PDF, too. |
| richo123 Mar 20, 2006 1:23 PM EDT |
bbigby- spot on in all details! NYS are retards over the W2 form. If it's good enough for the Feds why does NY have to be control freaks? And the non-saveable pdfs are stupid and don't even get me started on being an Aussie expat at DMV AAARGHHHH!!!!!! |
| grouch Mar 20, 2006 1:35 PM EDT |
I use the paper forms. Last software I used was Taxcut99. Blame me for your taxes being higher; the gubmint will have to mail the books and process the paper until they provide me with the means to file electronically from my chosen OS. My tax forms are not simple, but they're a lot simpler than most small businesses. |
| jdixon Mar 20, 2006 5:00 PM EDT |
> Blame me for your taxes being higher; I'll have to take some of the blame there too. I refuse to use electronic filing when it costs me more money to do so. I know it saves the government money, so why do they insist on my having to pay extra for it? Anyway, until electronic filing costs the same as mailing in the return, I'll stick to the paper forms. |
| dmp Mar 20, 2006 8:30 PM EDT |
Writable PDFs are good, but the reality of tax returns in the US is that either you get the hard-to-understand book, fill in hardcopy forms, hope you got it right, mail it in and get a check in a month or two -OR- you can use tax prep software, get the equivalent of an LTP's guarantee, electronic filing and get a direct-deposited refund in two weeks. Unless your OS is supported by Intuit et al, you don't get the second option. So yeah, you can do your taxes under Linux. If you want speed and accuracy without paying an LTP/CPA, use something else. |
| grouch Mar 20, 2006 9:26 PM EDT |
"Unless your OS is supported by Intuit et al, you don't get the second option. So yeah, you can do your taxes under Linux. If you want speed and accuracy without paying an LTP/CPA, use something else." Strangely, every time I used tax prep software it resulted in more taxes unless I manually prodded the thing toward what I had on paper. |
| richo123 Mar 21, 2006 4:18 AM EDT |
dmp- I think Tom made the key point on this. If you have a straight forward w2 style return with a few add ons like mortgage interest deductions etc the writeable pdfs are fine and the book isn't too hard to work out. If you have more complex tax affairs then what you say is true. Horses for courses. |
| jdixon Mar 21, 2006 5:33 AM EDT |
Quoting: but the reality of tax returns in the US is that either you get the hard-to-understand book, fill in hardcopy forms, hope you got it right, mail it in and get a check in a month or two -OR- you can use tax prep software, get the equivalent of an LTP's guarantee, electronic filing and get a direct-deposited refund in two weeks. IMO, if you need to use the tax return software, you probably should be paying the LTP/CPA fee and having them do it for you. Tax return software is only really useful for those who have a simple enough situation that they could handle it with the forms if they needed to, but don't have the time or skills to do so. These people can be served equally well by the online versions. |
| aminorex Mar 21, 2006 1:42 PM EDT |
Open Tax Solver 3.05 is available now. Alternatively, use a web service such as TurboTax online. |
| tuxtom Mar 22, 2006 12:13 AM EDT |
jdixon: I agree wholeheartedly. If your needs are that complex, you don't have the time or ability to do your own taxes. Hire a professional. It is not a technological issue for your average computer user. We're only talking $20-$200 for 90% of the arguable cases. If your needs are greater than that then you should already have your own CPA, in which case the argument is moot. On a side note: I have friends at Intuit and am going to see if I can get some reliable contacts inside. They have TONS of Linux and Unix running that shop on the server side. I'm sure that with enough demand going to the right managers that they could put the resources togehter to port to *nix. |
| tadelste Mar 22, 2006 4:47 AM EDT |
down under guy: If they can run it on OS X, they can ru it on Linux. Not much of a stretch is there? |
| richo123 Mar 22, 2006 5:13 AM EDT |
No you're right there Tom. Right thread? Am I down under ;-) |
| SFN Mar 22, 2006 7:41 AM EDT |
Quoting:Open Tax Solver 3.05 is available now I'd never heard of this so I checked it out. Immediately, I see two problems. The first is ease of use. Remember that what we are talking about is bigger than tax software. It's replacement of Windows-based software. Anyone who has used TurboTax can take one look at an Open Tax Solver screenshot and know that it is going to be A LOT more difficult. The second issue, and this is the killer, is the lack of a guarantee. As Intuit has trumpeted for years, if you use TurboTax and end up paying a penalty, Intuit pays it back with interest. Looking at those two items, until Intuit steps up and ports TurboTax to Linux, this issue doesn't get resolved. Sure someone else could put a new product out and make it work with Linux as well as Windows and Mac but at this point, the amount of catch up required to get where Intuit has been for years makes such a project unwise. |
| tadelste Mar 22, 2006 9:09 AM EDT |
Please don't get mad at me on this. Open Tax Solver has been around a while. But, no tax professional would ever use it. It put the data on a text file and you have to enter it into the form itself. That's what we did in 1991. |
| SFN Mar 22, 2006 10:30 AM EDT |
Quoting:It put the data on a text file and you have to enter it into the form itself. ? So what is the text file for? |
| tadelste Mar 22, 2006 11:02 AM EDT |
Try this and you should see. To the right is a print out of the tax info you need to enter onto the form. Also, check out the site. They need some more bodies, I think. |
| tadelste Mar 22, 2006 11:02 AM EDT |
Try this and you should see. To the right is a print out of the tax info you need to enter onto the form. http://opentaxsolver.sourceforge.net/scrnshot.html Also, check out the site. They need some more bodies, I think. |
| cjcox Mar 22, 2006 5:56 PM EDT |
Most of the commercial packages have online variants available. TurboTax works just fine under wine. Just fyi... |
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